Dry measurer.



No. 829,018. PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906. w

P. KIEFER.

DRY MEASURER.

APPLIOATION'FILED SEPT. z'a, 19.05.

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No. 829,018. PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906.

F. KIEFER. DRY MEASURER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29. 1906.

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FRED KIEFER, OF PRIOEBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRY MEASURER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21. 1906.

Application filed September 29,1905. Serial No. 280,669.

be had to the following description and ac-.

companying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the.invention applied. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the preferredembodiment of theinvention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of theconstruction shown in Fig. 2, partially broken away.

Fig: 4 is a top plan view embodyinga modification of the invention.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

This invention involves a novel form of machine designed particularlyfor use in grocery-stores or the like for vending groceries, such asmeal, flour, sugar, tea, coffees, &c.

The object of the invention is to provide an effective substitute forweighing-scales, there by facilitating the measuring operation, at thesame time insuring the accuracy of measure ment of the material vendedby means of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and describing the preferred embodiment of theinvention, the numeral 1 designates a hopper adapted to receive materialin granular or similar form, and said hopper is provided with amechanism by which the material can be vended in a predeterminedquantity, as desired. The mechanism before referred to embodiesprimarily a measuring device arranged in the hopper 1 and embodying aplurality of compartments 2, divided from one another by partitions 3.The compartments 2 are designed to be of an ascertained capacity, so asto admit of ready determination of the quantity of material receivedtherein and discharged therefrom. The capacity of all of thecompartments 2 may be a desired maXin1umsuch as two pounds, or threequarts, or the like-and the capacity of the various individualcompartments may be predetermined with reference to the capacity of allof the compartments. The compartments 2 are formed in a horizontalsupport 4 in the hop per 1, and arranged above and below the support 4iare cut-offs 5 and 6, respectively. The cut-offs 5 and 6 may be ofsemicircular form, as shown, or these cut-offs may be of other shapes,according to the number of the com partments 2 which will be closed bymeans thereof; but, as shown, the upper cut-oil 5 is equal to or exceedsin size the combined surface area of the compartments 2, therebyenabling it to cover all the upper ends of all of said compartments andleave none of them open to receive the contents of the hopper 1. a

The cut-offs 5 and 6 are preferably revolubly mounted in the support 4,being connected for simultaneous movement by means of a journal member7, arranged in a bearing 8, formed in the support 4 aforesaid. Thecutoffs 5 and 6 are actuated by means of a handie 9, which is attachedto the cut-off 6 in any suitable way. The two cut-offs beforedescribed-are so arranged that as the upper cut off closes the upper endof the compartment the lower cut-off will be arranged so that the lowerend of said compartment will be open, and the above will be true withreference to the several compartments, as the movement of the uppercut-off with regard to that of the lower cut-offis such that as theupper ends of the compartments are opened to the hopper 1 bythe uppercut-off the lower ends of such compartments are closed To effect thisoperation, the cut-oils 5 and 6 are, as best seen in Fig. 2 in both fulland dotted lines, ar ranged in substantially diagonal relations to eachother, with one end overlapping a dis tance equal to the cross-sectionalarea of the respective compartments. Furthermore, as also best seen insaid figure, each of the cutoffs is so related in size to the series ofcompartments that it may completely close all of the compartments at oneend or the other of the latter. The hopper 1 is-formed with a horizontalslot 10 in the sides thereof, and the handle 9projects through thisslot, so that it may be readily grasped by the operator in order toimpart rotary movement to the cutoffs 5 and 6 in the actual use of thedevice. The handle 9 moves above a ledge 11, projecting outwardly fromthe hopper 1, and this ledge may be graduated by suitable indicatingcharacters, which will readily indicate the distance which it isnecessary to move the handle in order to open the compartments 2 anddischarge the desired quantity of material which is wanted by apurchaser.

In the practical use of the machine before described the hopper 1 willbe connected with a spout 12, leading from a bin or receptacle 13, whichcontains the bulk of the material which is being vended by use of themeasuring device constituting the invention. In operation, should thepurchaser desire to obtain a pound of the material in the receptacle 13the operator grasps the handle 9 and moves the same until the mark andthe ledge or indicating-number 11 is reached. Movement of the handle tothis point will have caused movement of the cutoff 5 to close the upperends of one or more of the compartments 2, simultaneously open the lowerends of such compartments, and permit material therein to be dischargedtherefrom. The operation is the same in measuring out desired quantitiesof material, whether the basis of measurement be pounds or ounces orquarts or the like. The operator can readily hold a bag or similarreceptacle below the hopper 1 to receive the material dischargedtherefrom, and the bag will contain the exact weight or amount ofmaterial which is desired by the purchaser.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4 is similar to thatbefore described, except that the cut-offs used above and below thecompartments will be stationary, being denoted at 14 and 15,respectively. The compartments 2, however, are formed in a revolvingmember 16, arranged between the cut-offs 14 and 15 and mounted forrevolu tion on any suitable vertical member as an axis. The cut-off 14is provided with an in let-opening 17 to permit material in the hopper 1to pass into the compartments of the member 16, while the lower cut-olf15 is cut away to form an outlet-opening 19, through which the materialis discharged on actuation of the member 16. The handle 20 is attachedto the member 16 and projects through the slot 21 in the hopper, havingits movement gaged by suitable characters on the ledge 11. Thearrangement of the inlet and outlet openings of the cut-offs 14 and 15is such that when the upper end of the compartment or compartments isopen to the upper portion of the hopper 1 the lower end of suchcompartment or compartments is closed by means of the lower cut-off 15.The oper ation of the member 16 is such that movement thereof apredetermined distance will cause the upper ends of the compartments 18to be closed by the cut-off 14, while the lower ends are opened by thecut-off 15, permitting discharge of the desired quantity of material onepound in a manner which will be readily understood. It is contemplatedthat the number of receptacles 13 may be arranged adjacent one another,as shown in Fig. 1, and the spouts 12, leading therefrom, will extend toa 1 hopper, one of which is provided for each spout. The severalreceptacles 13 will contain the different commodities which are to bevended.

As one means for indicating the proper position to turn the handles 9 or20 to discharge the desired quantity of the commodities con tained inthe compartments I may provide the ledge 11 with a suitable number ofapertures 11 designed to receive a peg or the like, so that the peg maybe placed in any one of the apertures, according to the quan-.

tity desired to be discharged from the device, and the handle will thenbe turned into engagement with the peg, as will be readily understood.Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is Ameasuring machine of the type described,comprising a hopper or casingadapted to receive the commodity to be measured, a measuring devicearranged in the hopper and consisting of a plurality of radialstationary partitions forming compartments open at the top and bottom,two substantially diagonally opposite segmental cut-offs mountedrespectively against the upper and the lower ends of said compartmentsand connected together for simultaneous movement, and one overlappingthe other at one end a distance equal to the width of one of thecompartments and the upper cut-off being of a size sufficient to coversimultaneously all of said compartments, whereby as the upper cut-offcloses one or more of the said compartments at the upper end, the lowerend of said compartments will be opened by the lower cut-off and wherebythe entire series of compartments may be cut off or closed at theirupper ends at the same time, and an actuating-handle for said cut-offs,the hopper being provided with a lateral slot for the free movement ofsaid handle and being also provided with a projecting ledge formed withmeans for indieating the stopping-point of said handle at each of saidcompartments, as and for the 1 purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED KIEFER. [L. s]

Witnesses:

Tnos. E. WOOLLEY, Josnrn BRIEL.

